Summary The objective of this core is to support the operations of the new rodent housing facility at Delaware State University and ensure that it provides both efficient operations to support the research of COBRE investigators at DSU and high quality care for our rodent research subjects. The research of several faculty members supported by the Phase I and Phase II COBRE awards depends on the operation of the vivarium for husbandry of mouse models for their research. Our COBRE Vivarium core will provide support and staff to start up operations of our new rodent housing facility which was renovated with support from our Phase I COBRE grant, and which will fully open in early 2017. COBRE support for the Vivarium Core at DSU will fund the start- up phase of the facility hiring staff and establishing procedures so that the facility can provide outstanding animal care for COBRE-affiliated researchers to increase their research productivity. As the level of funding for faculty research grows eventually the facility can be sustained by charges to faculty research grants. The Specific Aims for the Vivarium Core are: 1) to start up and establish operations for the Vivarium Core; and 2) to strengthen and develop the animal care program at DSU to reflect the increased role of rodent research on the campus. An upgraded laboratory animal care program with a director and dedicated staff will allow the Vivarium to operate as a clean facility to support the optimal husbandry of lines of transgenic mice generated by COBRE-funded investigators. A COBRE-supported Vivarium core will significantly advance the research program of COBRE investigators and others at DSU with current and pending PHS funding.